A tragic incident in Madhya Pradesh's Mandla district has sparked concerns over emergency healthcare services after a woman gave birth to quadruplets in an autorickshaw while being rushed to a hospital. All four premature newborns died shortly after birth, while the family alleged that the absence of an ambulance contributed to the tragedy.
The woman, identified as Rajni Singaram from Naigaon village, went into labour during the seventh month of her pregnancy. She was initially taken to the Government Health Centre in Ghuthas in a private vehicle. Due to her critical condition, doctors referred her to the Community Health Centre in Bichhiya, but the family claimed no ambulance arrived despite repeated calls, forcing them to arrange an autorickshaw for the transfer.
Before reaching the hospital, Rajni delivered quadruplets three girls and one boy inside the autorickshaw. District Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. D. J. Mohanty said the babies were born prematurely at around seven months of gestation and weighed approximately 1.5 kilograms each. According to health officials, all four newborns died due to complications related to prematurity and underdevelopment. The mother has since been admitted to the Bichhiya Community Health Centre and is reported to be out of danger.
The woman's husband, Ganesh Singaram, alleged that timely ambulance support could have saved the babies' lives. Responding to the allegations, Mandla District Magistrate Rahul Namdev Dhote said no formal complaint had been received so far but assured that the matter would be investigated if a complaint is filed.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the challenges of accessing timely maternal healthcare and emergency transport in rural India, with renewed calls for strengthening ambulance services and healthcare infrastructure in remote areas.
